Recently St. Vincent’s Healthcare and Healthcare’s Cooperative Credit Union received the American Heart Association’s Fit Friendly designation. This employee wellness program is a key element of Start!—the American Heart Association’s national movement that calls on all Americans and their employers to create a culture of physical activity and health to live longer, heart-healthier lives through walking.

Designed to be a catalyst for positive change in American business, the program recognizes employers who champion the health of their employees by creating physical activity programs within the workplace. The program is also meant to encourage other companies to participate and demonstrate similar physical activity practices for their employees.

Fit Friendly corporations such as St. Vincent’s HealthCare and Healthcare’s Cooperative Credit Union encourage healthy lifestyles by offering associates a variety of wellness programs, some of which include:

· Wellness blog that provides information about walking/running events, how to purchase the right athletic shoes, logs/journals for recording physical activity and healthy recipes,

· Healthy eating programs in the working environment, and

· Yearly health and wellness fairs.

*St. Vincent’s Medical Center, Riverside location only

These activities provide valued employees with low cost or free alternatives for engaging in a healthy lifestyle that encourages social and emotional wellness while fostering an environment for physical wellness.

Adult Americans spend a majority of their waking hours at work, and many are in sedentary careers. With obesity costing American businesses $12.7 billion per year in medical expenses and $225.8 billion in health-related productivity losses[1] , any program that increases physical activity of employees will impact the bottom line.

Specifically, studies suggest that implementing a worksite physical activity program and promoting a culture of activity will help companies:

For More information on how your company can apply to become a fit friendly company call the American Heart Association-First Coast Market at 904-256-5720.

About the American Heart Association

The American Heart Association is devoted to saving people from heart disease and stroke – America’s No. 1 and No. 3 killers. We team with millions of volunteers to fund innovative research, fight for stronger public health policies, and provide lifesaving tools and information to prevent and treat these diseases. The Dallas-based association is the nation’s oldest and largest voluntary organization dedicated to fighting heart disease and stroke. To learn more or join us, call 1-800-AHA-USA1 or any of our offices around the country, or visit heart.org.

About St. Vincent’s HealthCare

St. Vincent’s HealthCare includes: St. Vincent’s Medical Center, St. Luke’s Hospital, St. Catherine Labouré Manor, St. Vincent’s Primary Care, Consolidated Laboratories, Advanced Patient Transportation, Seton Pharmacies and Consolidated Pharmacies. St. Vincent’s Medical Center was founded by the Daughters of Charity in 1916 to provide health services to the sick and the poor of North Florida. St. Luke’s Hospital was founded in 1873 by three women who saw the need for medical care in the community. It stands as Florida’s oldest private hospital. St. Vincent’s HealthCare is a member of Ascension Health, the nation’s largest Catholic and nonprofit health system with more than 100,000 associates serving in 70 general acute care hospitals.

About Healthcare’s Cooperative Credit Union

For nearly 30 years, Healthcare’s Cooperative Credit Union® (HCCU) has been providing financial and cash services to Jacksonville hospitals and individuals in the medical community. The credit union promotes financial well-being resulting in happier, more productive employees.

Through the credit union’s convenient on-campus office and extensive online services, HCCU provides hospital employees with credit union membership benefits, including checking and savings accounts, low loan rates, favorable deposit rates, financial management tools and personal member service. HCCU also provides complimentary educational sessions to the employees on various relevant topics including Improving Your Credit Score, Avoiding ID Theft, Car Buying, and Purchasing a Home. These educational services prove to be a benefit as individuals who are more confident in their personal financial lives tend to make more focused employees – directing their concern towards their patients rather than their pockets. For more information about the benefits Healthcare’s Cooperative Credit Union provides St. Vincent’s HealthCare, as well as many other hospitals in the Jacksonville-area, please visit www.healthcu.coop.